internships Archives - Virginia Business

Va. Tech receives two $1M endowment commitments

The Public Service Education Institute has endowed two $1 million funds at Virginia Tech to support internships, the university announced Tuesday.

The endowments, each created with a $1 million commitment, will support students who have secured internships with federal, state or local government agencies, including the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

One endowment will support students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, while the Public Service Education Institute Virginia Tech Internship Endowment will support students across a range of programs. The university is still working to establish the funds’ award criteria for students.

“We are grateful for the support of the Public Service Education Institute for this tremendous gift that will impact the lives of Virginia Tech and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences students for years to come,” Alan Grant, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said in a statement. “Internships and the valuable skills they impart set students up for success in their future careers.”

The Public Service Education Institute was originally the U.S. Department of Agriculture Graduate School program. Established in 1921, the program expanded to provide more than 200 continuing education courses to government employees. In 2009, the program became an independent nonprofit, Graduate School USA. In 2021, Charles Town, West Virginia-based American Public Education bought the organization and renamed it the Public Service Education Institute.

Merle Pierson, the president and chairman of the institute’s board, was a professor of food microbiology and safety at Virginia Tech from 1970 to 2005 and headed its Department of Food Science and Technology from 1985 to 1994.

“Our goal is to help provide students with an experience in the government and to also provide the government with highly qualified individuals. … Hands on experience beyond the classroom provides much added value to education,” he said in a statement.

SCHEV funds internship programs at 3 Va. colleges

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) this week awarded $535,000 in funding to the University of Virginia, Old Dominion University and Marymount University for the Innovative Internship Fund and Program, also known as the Virginia Talent+ Opportunity Partnership.

U.Va. and ODU will each receive $250,000 to connect employers with students and increase the number of paid internships and other work-based learning opportunities. Marymount University will receive a $25,000 vision grant that requires the president of the university to convene a task force to develop an experiential learning vision for students at the university, determine institutional priorities and design strategies.

At ODU, more than 30 partnering organizations have agreed to participate in the 757 Regional Internship Collaborative, according to an ODU spokeswoman. It will bring together representatives from K-12 school districts, higher education institutions, business, industry, economic development and regional leadership organizations.

Virginia Tech and Virginia Commonwealth University have been part of the program since last spring. SCHEV will award nine total grants by 2024.

The program is funded by the General Assembly and administered by SCHEV in partnership with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

AT&T and NOVA launch IT apprenticeship program

AT&T has created an IT apprenticeship program with Northern Virginia Community College and the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry, the company announced Tuesday.

The two-year program will offer students information technology training and 2,000 hours of on-the-job training in technical, soft skills, lab work and related skills. They will earn five industry certifications in A+, Network+, Security+, CCNA and ITIL.

Those selected will work as part-time AT&T employees and train at NOVA’s Reston complex and AT&T’s Oakton facility.

“Identifying and hiring qualified information technology talent continues to be a challenge for federal agencies,” said Jill Singer, vice president-defense and national security for AT&T’s public sector and FirstNet, in a statement. “In particular, national security agencies face challenges such as high-level security clearances and a need for specific IT skill sets, which can make it even harder for them to grow their talent base.”

Those who complete the training and are approved for federal government security clearance are expected to be hired by AT&T as full-time employees.

Applications are being accepted from Aug. 26 to Sept. 23. Students will be selected by late October and training will begin in January.

“Information technology jobs in our region are projected to grow, on average, 1.5% each year over the next decade — three times the regional average for all jobs — and we currently have more information technology jobs open in Northern Virginia than people qualified to fill these critical roles,” said Steven Partridge, vice present of strategy, research and workforce innovation for NOVA, in a statement. “Building the IT talent pipeline for the Northern Virginia region is crucial and NOVA is proud to partner with AT&T to provide an innovative opportunity for our current and former students to launch their IT careers.”

Shenandoah University announces partnership with esports league

Shenandoah University announced Monday that it has entered into a partnership with the Washington Justice, a professional Overwatch League, for internships and learning opportunities for students.

This marks the first partnership between a university and a professional Overwatch League team (esports). The Washington Justice represents Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

The partnership will launch at the beginning of 2021 and end during the summer of 2022.

In fall 2019, Shenandoah University became one of the first higher education institutions in the United States to offer multitrack bachelor’s degrees in esports management and communications.

“This partnership will prepare our students to work in the esports industry with real world experiences and networking opportunities,” Shenadoah University Director of Esports Joey Gawrysiak said in a statement. “The Washington Justice and their incredible staff recognize the opportunities esports brings students beyond gaming and we couldn’t be more excited about what this partnership will bring to both Shenandoah University and the Justice. This is just another step we are taking to grow our esports program at SU and what sets us apart from other programs.”

Internships will focus on business operations, team operations, sponsorships and marketing. Washington Justice owner Mark Ein will provide leadership opportunities during the school year. The organization will also host live and online events for Shenandoah University students about event production, social media management and business development.

“Through this partnership, we aim to provide Shenandoah students with real, tangible industry experience, so they can be well-equipped for their first career following graduation,” Grant Paranjape, Washington Justice vice president of esports business, said in a statement. “We have had the unique privilege of interacting with many of Shenandoah’s students already, and by combining the excellent education they are receiving in the classroom with hands-on experience at a major esports franchise, we believe we can truly offer students the best in-class opportunity to equip themselves for a successful career in the esports industry.”

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Va. Chamber Foundation, SCHEV launch work-based learning program

The Virginia Chamber Foundation and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) on Tuesday launched the Virginia Talent and Opportunity Partnership (Virginia TOP), an initiative aimed at better connecting students, higher education institutions and employers through paid and credit-bearing internships and other work-based learning opportunities.

“Access to a talented, well-educated workforce continues to be one of the top priorities for businesses in Virginia. Through the Virginia TOP, we have the opportunity to foster greater connectivity between the education institutions and employers,” Virginia Chamber President and CEO Barry DuVal said in a statement. “Virginia TOP will strengthen the transition from learning to earning for all stakeholders throughout the commonwealth.”

The program will provide resources for employers, students (and parents of students) and higher education institutions to launch work-based learning programs.

Virginia TOP, a public-private partnership, is funded through the Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program and is in its first stage of a multiyear rollout. The partnership will continue to develop resources for workforce training for in-demand jobs in Virginia.

“The Innovative Internship Program … creates a new pathway for Virginia’s students, not only to meet current workforce needs and regional economic growth, but also to enhance job readiness and higher education affordability,” SCHEV Director Peter Blake said in a statement. “The Virginia Talent and Opportunity Partnership is a significant public-private partnership to help accomplish the goals of the program and complement other ongoing efforts to increase connectivity between students and employers around the commonwealth.”

More details about the program and additional resources will be released later this year, according to a Virginia Chamber Foundation statement.